1932 Ford V-8 Deluxe Roadster. Photos by Noggs Photography LLC, courtesy Auctions America, unless otherwise noted.
When Ford debuted its V-8-powered Model 18 lineup for 1932, the cars delivered levels of performance, luxury and style never before seen in a mid-priced automobile. Despite the economic woes of the Great Depression, Ford still delivered nearly 267,000 V-8 powered examples to consumers, and the “Deuce” became the platform of choice for Southern California hot-rodders in the postwar years. Hopped up deuce coupes and roadsters remain popular today, but finding an example in “Day One” condition can be challenging; perhaps that’s why a stock-appearing 1932 Ford V-8 Deluxe Roadster drew a winning bid of $86,000 (including fees) at last weekend’s Auctions America Auburn Spring sale, making the event’s top-10 list.
Ford’s flathead V-8 was not an industry first, even among mid-priced cars. Chevrolet debuted a V-8 in its Series D models in 1917, but the engine would last just two production years, dropped due to poor sales. Oakland offered a V-8 in 1930 and ’31, while Pontiac, a spinoff from Oakland, continued the engine into 1932. Luxury brands like Cadillac and Lincoln offered V-8 engines, but their sticker prices put these cars out of reach for most consumers.
In designing its flathead V-8, Ford opted for an en-block design, which ran counter to most multi-piece V-8 engine block designs of the day. Using a single casting would reduce production costs (and production time), once again allowing Ford to offer such a vehicle at a lower price point than the competition. In a rush to get its new V-8 to market, Ford cut corners on testing, and first-year engines soon gained a reputation for overheating, bearing failures and cracked blocks. These issues were promptly addressed, and variants of the flathead V-8 would remain in Ford’s product lineup through 1953.
In 1932, Ford sold a total of 6,893 Deluxe Roadsters, priced from $500. It’s not clear how many were lost to scrap drives during World War II, or later cut up to race on the dry lake beds of Southern California or the salt flats of Utah. Today, original-bodied Deuce roadster hot rods command a premium price, and few cars exist in unmodified form. The Model 18 Deluxe Roadster sold in Auburn is one such car, restored to a no-expense spared standard (with over $200,000 in receipts) by a previous caretaker. As a reward for the effort, the Ford earned 988 out of a possible 1,000 points at a 2012 Early Ford V-8 Club National meet, and will likely prove competitive on the show circuit for its new owner.
A 1957 Imperial Crown convertible sold for $76,450. Photo courtesy Auctions America.
Other cars in the top-10 at Auburn included a 2006 Ford GTX1 TT ‘Spyder,’ which sold for $330,000; a 1971 Mercedes-Benz 280SE 3.5 Cabriolet, which sold for $299,750; a 1972 Porsche 911S Targa, which sold for $153,000; a 1987 Buick GNX, which sold for $110,000; a 2005 Maybach 57 Base Sedan, which sold for $87,450; a 2004 Ferrari 360 F1 Spider, which sold for $77,000; a 1957 Imperial Crown convertible, which sold for $76,450; a 1965 Ford Mustang GT Fastback K-Code, which sold for $68,750; and a 1971 Ford Mustang Boss 351, which sold for $65,000.
This 1940 Chevrolet Special Deluxe Town Sedan sold for $6,820. Photo courtesy Auctions America.
More affordable lots were plentiful, and those on hand with $10,000 to spend could have gone home with a 1971 MG MGB Roadster, which sold for $9,900; a 1960 Pontiac Catalina Safari Station Wagon, which sold for $9,900; a 1952 Crosley Super Sports Roadster, which sold for $8,800; a 1962 Buick LeSabre Four-Door Hardtop, which sold for $8,030; a 1964 Chevrolet Corvair Monza Club Coupe, which sold for $7,810; a 1940 Chevrolet Special Deluxe Town Sedan, which sold for $6,820; a 1979 Chevrolet Camaro Sport Coupe, which sold for $6,710; a 1969 Buick LeSabre Custom Convertible, which sold for $6,050; a 1968 Pontiac Tempest Custom Station Wagon, which sold for $5,060; or a 1963 Studebaker Champ Pickup, which sold for $3,520.
For complete results from Auburn, visit AuctionsAmerica.com.
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